April 9 -
April 14, 2006
Our annual pilgrimage
from Las Vegas to the Nevada Test Site began on Sunday,
April 9 in Las Vegas and concluded at the gates of
the test site on April 14, Good Friday. During the
walk, we honored and celebrated the many interfaith
religious holidays taking place that week including
Buddha’s birthday, Passover, Holy Week, Mohammed’s
birthday and a full moon.
We walked in
the footsteps of a long legacy of peace walkers and
spiritual leaders to draw attention to the nuclear
dangers that continue to threaten our sacred planet
and the community of life. Our journey included community-building
activities, camping, song, prayer, a peace and justice
Seder dinner and the Nuclear Stations of the Cross.
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Hundreds of people
have walked from Las Vegas, Nevada to the Nevada
(Nuclear) Test Site for the cause of abolishing
nuclear weapons.
(The Test Site is situated unlawfully on lands
belonging to the Western Shoshone Nation. Since 1951
the U.S. has contaminated the desert and the earth
1000 feet below by exploding over 900 nuclear weapons
tests which included over 1000 detonations of nuclear
bombs.)
Every year the U.S.
Department of Energy (D.o.E.) explodes a few multi-million
dollar subcritical nuclear test bombs at the Site.
Each year more people join this spiritual pilgrimage
from the city that is the epitome of unsustainability
in the U.S. to the place of the greatest violence
on earth. Come help us stop this suicidal nuclear
violence! Come walk the ways of peace in the desert!
Read
an article by attendee Barb Guy published in the Salt
Lake City Tribune (80kb PDF)
Peace walkers pause on the way to
the Test Site
photo courtesy of Marcus Page
Shoshone Elder Corbin Harney speaks outside the Test
Site to the peace walkers.
The Nuclear Stations of the Cross are setup in a tunnel
full of peace graffiti.
Fr. Paul Colbert processes with the peace cross for
each of the fifteen Nuclear Stations of the Cross.
Attendees participate in the reading of the nuclear
stations.
Robin was an inspiration, keeping silence during the
walk.
Fr. Paul Colbert leads the procession to the Test
Site.
As Eugene sets the pace.
Approaching the line at the Nevada Test Site, witnesses
join hands.
Nye County Sheriff and Wackenhut Security stand guard
behind the line.
Protestors lay down behind the line and over it. Voicing
prayers for healing for the world and the end of nuclear
weapons testing.
A clap of thunder sounded as protestors crossed the
line.
Chelsea Collogne kneels in prayer.
Photos by Mario P. Intino, Jr.